It never fails, I somehow always manage to get grease on my clothes when I hook up or unhook my trailer. This weekend I found grease stains on my jacket, breeches, and jeans…ugh. Fortunately I’ve found a stain remover that gets it out, but I’d like to avoid it from happening in the first place. Is there something else you can use to grease your ball (:lol:) that won’t hurt your clothes? Would Vaseline work?
[QUOTE=SugarCubes;8102164]
It never fails, I somehow always manage to get grease on my clothes when I hook up or unhook my trailer. This weekend I found grease stains on my jacket, breeches, and jeans…ugh. Fortunately I’ve found a stain remover that gets it out, but I’d like to avoid it from happening in the first place. Is there something else you can use to grease your ball (:lol:) that won’t hurt your clothes? Would Vaseline work?[/QUOTE]
Why are you greasing you trailer ball? Does you lighting plug not include a good ground? Do you only use the trailer once or twice a year?
[QUOTE=kdreger;8102168]
Why are you greasing you trailer ball? Does you lighting plug not include a good ground? Do you only use the trailer once or twice a year?[/QUOTE]
Greasing a trailer ball is pretty standard. Metal on metal likes some lube. So the slightly more accurate question is why are you NOT greasing your balls?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tu9NmR3ql44
OP, feel free to use some soap instead, just rub it on there. Or a wax candle. Either should be a little less messy. I also know some people use a little square of wax paper (sandwiched between ball and coupler, not rubbed on), which deposits the wax.
[QUOTE=SugarCubes;8102164]
It never fails, I somehow always manage to get grease on my clothes when I hook up or unhook my trailer. This weekend I found grease stains on my jacket, breeches, and jeans…ugh. Fortunately I’ve found a stain remover that gets it out, but I’d like to avoid it from happening in the first place. Is there something else you can use to grease your ball (:lol:) that won’t hurt your clothes? Would Vaseline work?[/QUOTE]
Lithium grease in a tube so you don’t have to touch it with your hands. Puts it only where you need it and uses less grease. The only way I can keep my kids from wearing grease.
There is really no need to “grease” the ball other than to help with getting the trailer hitch to slip on easily when not lined up exactly. I just “grease” the trailer hitch using a paint brush mainly around the “lip” so I can “pull-slip” it into alignment and onto the ball. I also put some up into the “cup”. Or just keep a can of spray lube handy and “hit it” when needed.
To each their own on this.
The only time I have ever used or seen grease used in 50+ years is when hooking up semi-trailers. So no there is nothing “common” about it for light trailers.
[QUOTE=kdreger;8102299]
The only time I have ever used or seen grease used in 50+ years is when hooking up semi-trailers. So no there is nothing “common” about it for light trailers.[/QUOTE]
Here’s a thread of horse people who grease their balls: http://www.chronofhorse.com/forum/showthread.php?273584-Do-you-grease-your-trailer-hitch-ball
If you search “greasing a trailer ball” you’ll find many other threads on RV and boating forums as well, so it’s not some weird quirk of horse people.
But as gumtree says, to each their own on this one. I do know people who don’t grease their balls. I’m personally not comfortable with it. Either way, there’s no need to act like the OP is crazy.
I feel like this deserves a poll: Do you prefer your balls dry or greased?
:lol:
I just got a GN and the dealer told me to keep a lightly greased rag folded up in a ziplock baggie in my truck and every now and then just wipe it over the ball, he said it really doesn’t take much. He likened it to greasing a cake pan when cooking, just barely coat it. 
[QUOTE=Mosey_2003;8102324]
I feel like this deserves a poll: Do you prefer your balls dry or greased?
:lol:[/QUOTE]
On hot, humid, sweaty type days I prefer Baby Powder.
I have a wide-mouthed can of red grease, similar to the one Equibrit posted a link to in the above-mentioned thread. I turn it upside down over the ball and rotate it a bit, getting someone on top and on the sides. Lowering the hitch over it distributes it further. That keeps me from ever touching the grease.
I believe the stuff I have is the same red grease used in grease guns use to lube various tractor and implement joints.
My trailer guy told me to always keep the ball/socket lubed. Metal on metal does not end well over the long haul.
It was strongly recommended by the hitch installer to keep the ball greased. The grease prevented wear of metal to metal during use. Also made it easier to slip the hitch down onto the ball, then locking it in place.
He showed me some malformed ball hitches from not being greased. Also will “waller out” the hole on hitch itself, rubbing off metal though you can’t see it. Might make the hitch less tight fitting onto the ball, even locked down, over time. Too much play room with a loose hitch. Some folks haul a lot, others not much, so metal-to-metal wear will vary.
I got a small bucket, just put over the entire hitch assembly at a show to prevent getting grease on my clothing as I worked around the truck. Saved a lot of shin bruising too! For daily use, I cut a tennis ball and covered the greased hitch ball so an accidental touch or rub didn’t leave grease on anyone. Easy on and easy off.
get a ball cover
grease your ball and cover it = clean clothes
Get a tethered ball cover:
I just use Vaseline out of the tack trunk when my tractor grease gun isn’t handy. Fancy! But it’s still dirty when you get it all over yourself.
I think really, the key is to wipe the grease off when you aren’t using your trailer. Grease gets all over you when it gets on feed and bedding and whatnot in the back of your truck, then you pick it up and voila, dirt city. So I just try to wipe of the ball when I unhitch my trailer. I don’t haul that often so I don’t need to leave it constantly lubed. I haul stuff in the back of my truck a lot more. I have tried those covers and I always seem to knock them off, or my kids lose them…
The owner’s manual of my trailer said to use vaseline every time.
I put grease on a paper towel and carefully wad it after I’m done. I have a strategic trash bag in the trailer so it’s easy to discard. I never get on on my clothes and rarely get it on my hands.
I use white lithium grease. It can still give your clothes an oil stain, but you won’t get nasty black greasy marks at least.
Lots of different opinions on greasy balls, I see :lol:! Thanks for all of the suggestions, I like the soap or wax paper idea, seems way less messy than grease. I’ve thought of the hitch ball covers, but it’s when I’m hooking up and unhooking that I get grease on myself, so in that case the cover wouldn’t help me.
LOL how on earth are you getting greased up while hooking and unhooking?
Metal on metal, as a rule, needs lubricant.
I drizzle a bit of standard motor oil over the ball. I keep a bottle in the corner of the bed. It lasts a long time and, if you’re careful, won’t get on clothes.
G.
